


untruth

by takeflight



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Canon Compliant, Drabble, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Ignis Spoilers, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, i don’t know how to write more than 1000 words, i guess but not really? Just to be safe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 14:20:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13168728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeflight/pseuds/takeflight
Summary: It’s okay, it’s okay,it’s okay.Ignis has lost count of how many times he has said it up until now, but he means it every single time.





	untruth

**Author's Note:**

> pls be gentle w/ me

Every time Noctis would look up at him, eyes echoing a silent cry for Ignis’s comfort, he could do nothing but oblige. He wanted nothing more than to relieve his prince from his pain, shoulder it for him for all that he’s worth. But Ignis knew what Noctis felt was difficult and painful, and despite it all, Noct would never let him carry his burdens for him. He would never want to trouble Ignis like that, so all Ignis could do was reassure him with a gentle hand to his back and an embrace to protect him.

“It’s okay.”

It’s okay, it’s okay, _it’s okay_.

Ignis has lost count of how many times he has said it up until now, but he means it every single time.

“I’m here, Noct. I’m always here. I’ll always be here,” Like a mantra, he would repeat this into the top of Noctis’s head, breath ruffling the tufts of his hair. “For you, I’ll be here always.” Through his voice, he wanted to banish the darkness and for his words to fill the air until Noctis settled against his chest, buried within his arms, and sleep would take them both until the sun rose again.

 

 

With the air filled with the tang of salt and smell of fire, Ignis took in the scene before him.

With the sky reddened with the setting sun, and the sound of the Archaean’s anger shaking the city walls, Ignis regretted the lies he unwittingly told Noctis.

He never meant to be dishonest, because he believed what he told Noctis every time he looked to him for confidence, but Ignis felt irresponsible for failing to make sure everything was okay. He was breaking his promise because he couldn’t be there when Noctis needed him, and he needed to be there, always.

But he couldn't. He wanted to be there, he had to be there. But he couldn’t. Even when he was within reach of his beloved, the vision that entered his mind told him he couldn’t.

Yet Ignis was stubborn and he fought, long and hard. He told Noctis it was okay, and he would always be there for him. He needed to make good on his word, so he fought, kicked, and screamed, even when his eyes burned away and all he could see was the prone form of the man he needed to protect etched into the faded darkness left behind.

When he collapsed onto the damp ground, crying out for Noctis in a worn voice as his eyes offered him no use, he could think of nothing else but how the invasive scenes left by the vision told him how much he failed Noctis. An apology falling from his lips, Ignis stretched his hand slowly, brushing the fingers that lay mere inches away from him. Even risking the offer of his life, he couldn’t change the road they set out upon so many days and weeks ago.

Ignis was only left with the guilt for all the okays he whispered to Noctis.

 

 

The day after Noctis had come home from school, frustrated and despondent, and they had argued bitterly, Ignis had apologized to Noctis over a cup of instant noodles. That lead to Noctis’s quiet, unspoken forgiveness, and the two curling up beside each other on the couch, the crisp night air chilling them.

Noctis had been surly and curt earlier in the week, but once he finally brought himself to confide in Ignis, he opened up his whole self to him. The thought of losing his father was heavy, and Noctis voiced his anguish with hot tears on Ignis’s shoulder. Ignis hurt to see his treasured love suffering so openly and softly offered an “It’s okay” to comfort him into the night, because he believed the King was strong and Noctis could keep his title as Prince for a long time.

  
The afternoon Noctis found out about his arranged marriage to Lady Lunafreya as a treaty between warring nations, he barged into Ignis’s office demanding his opinion, face flushed, dreading Ignis’s response. Even though Ignis easily recognized that desperate look of concern, he knew he had a duty and role to uphold and had to make those fears a reality. He would break his and Noctis’s heart with each word he carefully articulated.

“Who the fuck cares, Ignis?” Noctis was raising his voice, far too loud in the small room. “I thought you loved me! _I_ love you! How could you say such a thing?” Ignis could see the tears that threatened to spill sparkling in Noctis’s eyes. But Noctis was older now, and he was trying desperately to hold them back.

“We have to. You know we have to, Noct.” He couldn’t bear doing this to Noctis, but he knew they had to. He knew _he_ had to.

A single tear betrayed Noctis and rolled down his cheek, before another followed suit and Noctis rubbed at his face roughly with the back of his hand. Ignis felt his resolve wearing. “We don’t have to do shit! Iggy, please,” the voice that belonged to the man Ignis loved was begging and full of the pain of betrayal, and he could do nothing but look at the edge of his desk to avoid his eyes.

“Please, Ignis. Please. We don’t have to do this.”

Only when Noctis turned away towards the door did Ignis move, grabbing him before he could leave and pulling him into his arms. “I’m so sorry, Noct.” He conceded, giving into the treacherous pulls of his heart, “Please, I never wish to see you this way. It’ll be okay. I’ll be here for you. Always.”

  
The night before they left Insomnia, Noctis had to talk to Ignis again about the future staring them in the face. Ignis was the most unwilling to end his relationship with Noctis, but they both knew at that point the journey was to end in a marriage.

Noctis was putting on a mature face, Ignis knew this for a fact. He was always bad at hiding how he felt from Ignis, and Ignis could read every expression before any words were uttered. “I just gotta suck it up,” Noctis tried, attempting to lighten the otherwise heavy topic with a weak laugh, “I should have listened to you back then.”

His yearning for the prince and the desire to deny the statement was strong, but he knew he was bound by duty to reply properly in turn. “It seems we both need to finally come to terms with this,” he began, gently placing his hand on top of the other man’s, ”but I want you to know that you’re the first and last thing I think about every day. And nothing will change that.”

The look they shared afterwards was pained and longing, both aware the inevitable end they ignored for so long had arrived, knocking at their door. Their foolishness lead to the last, desperate attempt for intimacy, and they fell into bed for their final night together, Noctis tangled up with him between the sheets as Ignis murmured “It’s okay” into his skin.

  
Finally, when they had stood at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the endless blue towards the foreign land, and Noctis held his hand and squeezed his fingers tightly with his wordless pleas, Ignis ignored the agreement they made back in the Crown City and couldn’t stop himself from bringing their lips together to press away the anxious look on Noctis’s face.

When he pulled back, Noctis gave him his shy, crooked smile, which Ignis returned with a confident declaration.

“We’re here now. It’s going to be okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> I’m a fool because I have no idea how to write but IgNoct is so strong You know I had to do it to em.
> 
> I’ve been doing nothing but lying in bed reading fics and I was so inspired, plus I have like 232183534 things I want to say about this pairing whirling around in my head and needed to get it off my chest!! I wanted to write some soft, soft fluff (or alternatively, raunchy smut) but somehow all I ever end up doing is writing some sort of short, bittersweet angst. Well then.
> 
> Thanks for reading!! I hope it was...Acceptable


End file.
